David von Krafft (1655 – 1724) 

• Was a  German-Swedish painter.
• Krafft was born in Hamburg. 

• His mother was a sister of the Swedish court painter David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl.

• Krafft was called to Sweden in 1675 by Ehrenstrahl, as his assistant and apprentice. 

• In 1684 Krafft received an annual grant from Queen Ulrika Eleonora the Elder for a journey to Italy.

• He arrived in Italy in 1687, spent a year in Venice, three years in Rome, and one year in Bologna.

• He later traveled to Vienna, and was awarded an increased grant for going to Paris in 1694.

• He finally returned to Stockholm and his uncle's studio in 1696. 

• After Ehrenstrahl's death in 1698, Krafft was appointed his successor as court painter.

• His main task was to paint representative portraits of King Charles XII of Sweden.

• His last portrait of the King before his departure for the war in 1700 was an equestrian portrait.

• In the absence of the King, his main employer was the Dowager Queen Hedvig Eleonora; about a hundred portraits of her by Krafft are known.

• Krafft also painted many of King Charles's generals.

• Krafft was ennobled in 1719, receiving the surname von Krafft, and awarded the title of court intendant in 1720.

• He died in Stockholm during 1724.

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